10 Workout Tips to Maintain Your Bikini Body Through Fall

10 Workout Tips to Maintain Your Bikini Body Through Fall

You logged some serious hours at the gym and used all the willpower you had to avoid the known diet derailers (hello, hot dogs, margaritas, and ice cream!) this summer. Once the colder weather arrives, don't let the crisp air and additional clothing layers tempt you into skipping the gym to eat comfort food on the couch. To keep that sexy bikini body (and turn it into a sexy skinny-jeans body), try these easy workout tips to stay in stellar shape all year long.

Workout Tip: Even If It's Snowing Outside, Pretend It's Warm

"It is extremely easy to enter hibernation mode following the summer," says fitness and wellness expert David Kirsch. "Keep it in your mind-set to always be summer-beach-ready. Get your workouts in earlier versus later because your body tends to have less energy when it is dark."

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Workout Tip: Pay Attention to Nutrition

As soon as winter rolls around, we all crave warm comfort foods like a big bowl of pasta. Not so fast. "Eating heavy soups, carbs, and more substantial meals [with] more calories...will contribute to weight gain," he says. "Instead, aim to carry your summer meal plan into winter to avoid the dreaded winter weight."

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Workout Tip: Walk Around Naked

When it gets colder outside, you don't see your body as much as you do when you wear swimsuits and crop tops, so you may not even notice five extra pounds hiding under your sweater. "Just because you are layering on more clothes doesn't mean you should also be layering on the extra pounds," Kirsch says. Keep your weight gain in check by looking in the mirror every once in a while to keep yourself on track. Here's another visual reminder: Hang your bathing suit in plain sight.

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Workout Tip: Bring Your Social Life to the Gym

You don't have to hibernate come winter. "Continue your summer socializing—but instead of the beach, bring it to the fitness studio," says Rachel Piskin, cofounder and owner of New York City's Chaise 23. "Working out with friends will keep you more motivated and help you keep a consistent winter routine."

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Workout Tip: Make It Convenient

Don't try to schlep all over the place to get to your workout this winter, says Piskin. It might backfire and leave you heading straight for your couch. "Find a studio that is close to your office or home, so you're less likely to cancel your class when the temperatures drop."

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Workout Tip: Book a Warm-Weather Getaway

Don't put away that bikini just yet: To keep motivation strong, book a vacay that will hold you accountable for staying in shape. "If you book a beach getaway for late fall, you know you'll be slipping back into a bikini again very soon," says Adam Schersten, a Tier 3+ personal trainer at Equinox. "Keeping warm weather on the horizon is a great way to stay motivated to maintain your sleek summer physique—and you also have something amazing to look forward to!"

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Workout Tip: Limit Starchy Carbs

Schersten recommends limiting starchy carbs (i.e., pastas, rice, bread, and potatoes) to post-workout meals only: "Starches are much more carb-dense and therefore often have a higher caloric value, so only eating them when your body is in need of them for recovery after a workout will keep you looking toned and slim." When you're not hitting the gym, Schersten recommends subbing vegetables such as leafy greens and broccoli for those calorie-laden carbs.

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Workout Tip: Hire a Trainer to Revamp Your Routine

Being forced back inside the gym after a summer of outdoor workouts can be a major bummer, but use this as a time to take your workouts to the next level. "Hiring a trainer is a great way to learn something new and to up your excitement for getting back into the gym after summer," says Schersten. "The fitness industry is constantly breaking new ground, so chances are your workout could be outdated, and you might not be training for maximum results." Even if it's not a long-term commitment, hiring a professional to teach you something new could change the results of your workout for the rest of the year.

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Workout Tip: Schedule Your Workouts in Advance

The best way to stick to your fitness plan and keep your summer body all year long is to schedule your workouts in advance. Pick a class you like, or a time that works, and stick to it. Every week. "We build from our habits, so make fitness part of your regular routine, just like brushing your teeth," says Tanya Becker, founder of Physique 57 and the author of Physique 57 Solution: The Groundbreaking 2-Week Plan for a Lean, Beautiful Body. "Don't let excuses such as not having enough time get in your way," she says. "There are 168 hours in a week. Taking four to five of those hours to maintain your fabulous physique isn't that much in comparison."

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Workout Tip: Cut Out Processed Foods

"Cutting out processed and denatured foods from your diet will help you shed 'false fat'—the water weight, bloating, and inflammation that result from eating these types of foods," says Becker. "Our bodies function optimally when we consume nutrient-rich, fresh foods that grow in nature."